Network-based ethernet switching packet switch, network, and method

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to implementing a router Media Access Control (MAC) Ethernet switch in a network. An Ethernet-over-Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM) packet switch system includes a transport switching element communicatively coupled to one or more routers in a client layer and communicatively coupled via a photonic switching layer with a plurality of transport switching elements forming a transport layer; wherein the transport switching element is configured to flood addresses, in the transport layer, associated with the one or more routers to disseminate learned end-point addresses of the one or more routers so that service-based addressing is resolved by the transport layer. The addresses from the client layer are flooded in the control plane which is a lower layer control plane relative to the client layer to allow the transport switching element and the plurality of transport switching elements to use of the addresses.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

The present patent/application is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/180,103, filed on Feb. 13, 2014, entitled“METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRAFFIC ENGINEERED MPLS ETHERNET SWITCH,” whichclaims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/840,790,entitled “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRAFFIC ENGINEERED MPLS ETHERNETSWITCH,” filed Jun. 28, 2013, assigned to the assignee hereof, and eachof which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to an Ethernet-over-DenseWave Division Multiplexing (DWDM) packet switch, network, and method aswell as switching data packets with minimal packet modification.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Typically, packet networks use the data plane and insert control packetsto manage the data plane. In some instances, the ingress data packetsmay be modified. Likewise, the client and transport packet network caninteract. Switching packets can involve a control protocol to controlper packet path of each packet. Endpoint discovery and dissemination ofaddressing details can then occur via the control protocol.

Resilient Packet Ring (RPR) is a protocol standard designed for theoptimized transport of data traffic over optical fiber ring networks.RPR works on a concept of dual counter-rotating rings called ringlets.These ringlets can be set up by creating RPR stations at nodes wheretraffic is supposed to drop, per flow. RPR can use Media Access Controlprotocol (MAC) messages to direct the traffic, which can use eitherringlet of the ring. The nodes can also negotiate for bandwidth amongthemselves using fairness algorithms, avoiding congestion and failedspans. The avoidance of failed spans can be accomplished by using one oftwo techniques known as steering and wrapping. Under steering, if a nodeor span is broken, all nodes can be notified of a topology change, andthey reroute their traffic. In wrapping, the traffic can be looped backat the last node prior to the break and routed to the destinationstation. RPR can guarantee bandwidth and switching. In RPR, the packetscan be modified from the data plan.

Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a mechanism in high-performancetelecommunications networks that directs data from one network node tothe next based on short path labels rather than long network addresses,avoiding complex lookups in a routing table. The labels can identifypaths between distant nodes rather than endpoints. MPLS can encapsulatepackets of various network protocols. MPLS can operate at a layer thatis generally considered to lie between traditional definitions of datalink layer (Layer 2) and network layer (Layer 3). MPLS can provide aunified data-carrying service for both circuit-based clients andpacket-switching clients which provide a datagram service model. In allcases, the flow from the client may be considered to be altered in someway.

An MPLS Label Switch Router (LSR) interacts with the packet stream, andthe client can be aware of the intermediate LSR equipment.Interoperation testing can be required to validate the completesolution.

SUMMARY

Some embodiments may include implementing a Media Access Control (MAC)Ethernet switch in a network. Some embodiments may include receiving,from a first Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) router, at least, onedata packet with a router MAC address identifying a second MPLS router.Some embodiments may provide for automatically learning the router MACaddress identifying the second MPLS router. Embodiments may also includeaccessing information to determine the Internet Protocol (IP) address ofthe second MPLS router based on the learned router MAC address.Likewise, some embodiments may include transmitting the, at least, onedata packet to the second MPLS router.

In some embodiments, the router MAC address of the first MPLS router maybe learned from the at least one data packet. The IP address of thefirst MPLS router can also be automatically learned from the at leastone data packet. Some embodiments may include storing the first routerMAC address and the IP address in a forwarding database. Someembodiments may include automatically attempting to configure transportcapacity to the requested address the interface is attempting to connectto with a default amount of capacity. Likewise, some embodiments mayinclude monitoring a data plane in the network for other messages todetermine appropriate desired capacity. Some embodiments may includeanalyzing the at least one data packet to determine a request foradditional capacity. These embodiments may also include reporting theanalyzed request for additional capacity. These embodiments mayadditionally include automatically reconfiguring the network based onthe reported request for additional capacity.

In some embodiments, the Ethernet switch can be distributed. Someembodiments may include adding jitter to the at least one data packet.In some embodiments, a separate packet switch operation can beimplemented on at least one of the at least one data packet as a qualitycontrol measure.

Some embodiments may include generating a forwarding database for a MACEthernet switch in a network. Some embodiments may include receiving,from an MPLS router, at least one data packet with a router MAC addressidentifying the MPLS router. Some embodiments may include automaticallylearning the router MAC address of the MPLS router from the at least onedata packet. Some embodiments may also include automatically learningthe IP address of the MPLS router from the at least one data packet. Insome embodiments, the router MAC address and the IP address may bestored in a forwarding database.

Some embodiments may include implementing a MAC Ethernet switch in anetwork. Some embodiments may include receiving, from a first MPLSrouter, at least one data packet with a first router MAC addressidentifying the first MPLS router. Some embodiments may includeautomatically learning the first router MAC address of the first MPLSrouter from the at least one data packet. Some embodiments may includeautomatically learning the IP address of the first MPLS router from theat least one data packet. Some embodiments may also include storing thefirst router MAC address and the IP address in a forwarding database.Some embodiments may include receiving, from a second MPLS router, atleast one data packet with the first router MAC address identifying thefirst MPLS router. Some embodiments may include automatically learningthe first router MAC address identifying the first MPLS router. Someembodiments may include accessing information from the forwardingdatabase to determine the IP address of the first MPLS router based onthe learned router MAC address. Some embodiments may includetransmitting the at least one data packet from the second MPLS router tothe first MPLS router.

Some advantages of the embodiments described may include using theaddresses when routers perform address resolution protocols so that dataplane packets are not modified. Lack of modification may lead to lowerhardware costs. Some embodiments may also remove or diminish the needfor MPLS Label Switch Routers (LSR). Some embodiments may allow for autoconfiguration of external Transport Network Addresses (TNA) based on thebinding of router MAC addresses and IP addresses by the AddressResolution Protocol (ARP) protocol or other means such as, for example,the use of OSPF or IS_IS Hello packets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of aspects of the disclosure and many ofthe attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the samebecomes better understood by reference to the following detaileddescription when considered in connection with the accompanying drawingswhich are presented solely for illustration and not limitation of thedisclosure, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates exemplary PacketWave network architecture.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary network layer.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary flow for implementing a router MediaAccess Control (MAC) Ethernet switch in a network.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary forwarding database table forimplementing a MAC Ethernet switch in a network.

FIG. 5 illustrates a second exemplary flow for implementing a MACEthernet switch in a network.

FIG. 6 illustrates a third exemplary flow for implementing a MACEthernet switch in a network.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various aspects are disclosed in the following description and relateddrawings. Alternate aspects may be devised without departing from thescope of the disclosure. Additionally, well-known elements of thedisclosure will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as notto obscure the relevant details of the disclosure.

The words “exemplary” and/or “example” are used herein to mean “servingas an example, instance, or illustration.” Any aspect described hereinas “exemplary” and/or “example” is not necessarily to be construed aspreferred or advantageous over other aspects. Likewise, the term“aspects of the disclosure” does not require that all aspects of thedisclosure include the discussed feature, advantage or mode ofoperation.

Further, many aspects are described in terms of sequences of actions tobe performed by, for example, elements of a computing device. It will berecognized that various actions described herein can be performed byspecific circuits (e.g., application specific integrated circuits(ASICs)), by program instructions being executed by one or moreprocessors, or by a combination of both. Additionally, these sequence ofactions described herein can be considered to be embodied entirelywithin any form of computer-readable storage medium having storedtherein a corresponding set of computer instructions that upon executionwould cause an associated processor to perform the functionalitydescribed herein. Thus, the various aspects of the disclosure may beembodied in a number of different forms, all of which have beencontemplated to be within the scope of the claimed subject matter. Inaddition, for each of the aspects described herein, the correspondingform of any such aspects may be described herein as, for example, “logicconfigured to” perform the described action.

Data communication networks may include various computers, servers,nodes, routers, switches, bridges, hubs, proxies, and other networkdevices coupled to and configured to pass data to one another. Thesedevices are referred to herein as “network elements” or “networkdevices.” Data is communicated through the data communication network bypassing protocol data units, such as Internet Protocol (IP) packets,Ethernet Frames, data cells, segments, or other logical associations ofbits/bytes of data, between the network elements by utilizing one ormore communication links between the network elements. A particularprotocol data unit may be handled by multiple network elements and crossmultiple communication links as it travels between its source and itsdestination over the network.

FIG. 1 illustrates exemplary PacketWave network architecture 100.PacketWave describes an architecture to realize an IP/MPLS network, inwhich the Edge Routers (PEs) are implemented “as is”, but their mutualconnectivity across the network core may be provided using an underlaycomprising distributed Layer 2 switches collectively offering anEthernet LAN services to all attached PEs. In FIG. 1, the clients (PE)can attach to a packet optical network element with Ethernet Interfaces108. The packet wave can aggregate packets onto an optical interface 110in the network 102. Next, the packet wave can adjust network capacityand topology (e.g., wavelengths) to match service demands. Under failurescenarios, the packet wave can maintain a desired network topology. Thepacket wave can provide hitless network defragmentation. This can allowfor capacity and topology maintenance/re-optimization.

In some embodiments, the flows can be on optical interfaces 110 andcapacity can be adjusted between any edge devices, e.g., the clients104. With different interfaces, aggregation may be desired, such aslinked aggregation groups. Capacity can be determined through monitoringtraffic between routers 106. Likewise, the network 102 can react tofaults so that the losses are in milliseconds. Packet flows between therouters 106 can be adjusted on a per-adjacency basis (e.g., 15 Gbps).The adjustments can be policed. In another example, the adjustments canbe shaped within this flow with a point-to-point flow. The flow can bean MPLS pseudo wire (PW); a label switched path (LSP), or other packettagging mechanism (e.g., MAC in MAC, also known as MiM).

Carrier Ethernet control technology can be used, specifically ProviderBackbone Bridge Traffic Engineering (PBB-TE). Other technologies can beimplemented, including Shortest Path Bridging MAC (SPBM) and G.8032, butpacket modification may not be required. The system can be implementedon both a distributed Ethernet switch connected with transporttechnology and a single device. Likewise, transport technology can beanything that provides Ethernet capacity. Some examples include OpticalTransport Network (OTN), and Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET).While the data plane may be manipulated, no packet modification can berequired to be performed, and control packets may not be found in thedata plane. In some embodiments, a pseudowire (PW), a Label SwitchedPath (LSP), or the aggregated adjacency can be used. A Dense WaveDivision Multiplexing (DWDM) can switch wavelengths.

Three examples of packet wave service delivery models are transportnetworks, dynamic networks, and Software Defined Networking (SDN). Witha transport network, there can be static connections. The transportnetwork can use a subset of the dynamic case from a packet controlsoftware that uses a combination of hardware and software to manage andforward packets. A dynamic network can be packet-centric. An interfacebetween packet and optical domains can be used to dynamically set up thenetwork and to reconfigure the network. An SDN can discover the networkand can control flows within the network.

FIG. 2 illustrates a packet wave control plane/network layer 200. Asshown in FIG. 2, there is a client router layer 202, anEthernet/transport layer 204, and photonic switching layer 206. Theclient router layer 202 includes in-skin control plane instances 208(shown as hexagons on FIG. 2) and routers 210 (shown as rectangles). TheEthernet/transport layer 204 includes in-skin control plane instances208 and transport switching elements 212 (shown as rounded rectangles).The photonic switching layer 206 includes optical amplifier sites 214(shown as stars), in-skin control plane instances 208, and wavelengthswitching elements 216 (shown as diamonds). Data packets between theclient router layer 202 and the Ethernet/transport layer 204 can useEthernet 218 for transport. Wavelengths 220 can be used to transfer datapackets between the Ethernet/transport layer 204 to the photonicswitching layer 206.

In some embodiments, the control plane can be used as a transport layerto implement a MAC Ethernet switch, similar to Ethernet on SONET. Therouter MAC and router IP address can be flooded in the transport layertopology. The router MAC and router IP addresses can be flooded in thetransport layer control plane as transport network addresses (TNA). Thetransport control plane can have optimization (e.g., with regard toadministration weight, latency), protection attributes (e.g., dedicatedprotection scheme for 50 ms, control plane redial) or reversion applied.Flooding can be used by a control plane to disseminate learned end-pointaddressing so that service-based addressing can be resolved by thetransport layer. In some embodiments, the transport/DWDM can use thelearned TNA and the value that drives the TNA. For example, serviceaddressing can be distributed in the lower layer control planes andallow the devices to use service addressing (e.g., IP/MAC) instead oftypical transport addressing.

The client layer in FIG. 2 can be a service layer. The client layer canaddress traffic demands and service processing. The Ethernet/transportlayer can provide protection to the network. For example, theEthernet/transport layer can have Shared Link Risk Group (SLRG)awareness. The Ethernet/transport layer can provide quality controlmeasures. For example, the Ethernet/transport layer can also providemonitored paths and capacity protection sharing. There can be aswitching and transponder mix and photonic protection triggers.

The photonic switching layer can provide restoration for full andpartial failure events. This layer can provide fiber topology awareness,including path computation, and link budget computation, wavelengthassignment. The photonic switching layer can also have SRLG awareness.Both the Ethernet/transport layer and the photonic switching layer canbe used as planning tools to determine capacity, provide logical addressassignments, and conduct failure simulations.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary flow for implementing a MAC Ethernetswitch in a network. At least one data packet can be received from anMPLS router, the data packet including a router MAC address identifyingthe MPLS router (302). The router MAC address of the MPLS router can beautomatically learned from the at least one data packet (304). An IPaddress of the MPLS router can be automatically learned from the datapacket (306). The router MAC address and the IP address can be stored ina database (308).

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary forwarding database table forimplementing a MAC Ethernet switch in a network. In FIG. 4, the MPLSrouters are designated with their router IP loopback address. Each MPLSrouter in FIG. 4 has a router interface MAC address associated with it,along with a Network Service Access Point (NSAP) address and anInterface Number. For example, in FIG. 4, MPLS router 10.1.1.1 isassociated with router interface MAC address 00:08:5C:00:00:01, NSAPaddress 49.0001.1111.1111.1111.00, and Interface Number NSAP InterfaceNumber 1. Likewise, MPLS router 10.1.1.2 is shown in FIG. 4 as beingassociated with router interface MAC address 00:0F:EA:91:04:07, NSAPaddress 49.0001.1234.AAAA.AAAA.AAAA.00, and Interface Number NSAPInterface Number 2. MPLS router 10.1.1.3 is associated with routerinterface MAC address BC:AE:C5:C3:16:93, NSAP address49.0001.AAAA.BBBB.CCCC.00, and Interface Number NSAP Interface Number 3.MPLS router 10.1.1.4 associated with router interface MAC addressBC:A2:33:91:00:16, NSAP address 49.0001.ABCD.ABCD.ABCD.00, and InterfaceNumber NSAP Interface Number 4.

In some embodiments, each MPLS router may be associated with an IPv4and/or IPv6 address. The IP addresses and NSAP addresses can provideaddressing whereas the Ethernet can be used to flow the data packets. Insome embodiments, table 400 information can be used with an out-of-bandcontrol plane to provide desired connectivity. For example, the media ofthat layer can be used (e.g. packet underlay technology using privateaddressing space, such as MPLS-TP or PBB). In another example, differentmedia can be used (e.g., OTN, SONET, or DWDM). In some embodiments, ifunderlay is used in a stable environment, it can eliminate the use ofdata plane multicast, and with that, it can eliminate the possibility oflooping of multicast packets.

In some embodiments, link aggregation (LAG) can affect implementing aMAC Ethernet switch. Multiple matches per router and router MAC (notshown) may be required. For example, an interface number can have NSAPunique interface numbers for each of the routers.

FIG. 5 illustrates a second exemplary flow for implementing a MACEthernet switch in a network. At least one data packet can be receivedfrom a first MPLS router (302). The at least one data packet can includea router MAC address identifying a second MPLS router. The router MACaddress of the second MPLS router can be automatically learned from theat least one data packet (304). Information can be accessed to determinethe IP address based on the learned router MAC address (506). The atleast one data packet can be transmitted to the second MPLS router basedon the learned router MAC address (508).

In some embodiments, a forwarding database can be provided by a user.For instance, a table can be uploaded to a system so that the systemneed not learn which router MAC addresses are linked to certain IPaddresses.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary flow for generating a MAC Ethernetswitch in a network. At least one data packet can be received from afirst MPLS router, the data packet including a router MAC addressidentifying the first MPLS router (602). The router MAC address of thefirst MPLS router can be automatically learned from the at least onedata packet (604). An IP address of the MPLS router can be automaticallylearned from the data packet (606). The router MAC address and the IPaddress can be stored in a database (608).

At least one data packet can be received from a second MPLS router(610). The at least one data packet from the second MPLS router caninclude a router MAC address identifying the first MPLS router. Thenetwork location of the router interfaces MAC address of the first MPLSrouter can be automatically learned from their appearance as sourceaddresses in a frame and used for forwarding when a previously learnedaddress is seen as a destination. Information can be accessed todetermine the IP address based on the learned router interface MACaddress (614). The at least one data packet can be transmitted to thefirst MPLS router based on the learned router interface MAC address fromthe first MPLS router (616).

In an exemplary embodiment, a method implemented by a Media AccessControl (MAC) Ethernet switch in a network receiving, from a firstMultiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) router, a packet with a first IPaddress and a first MAC address identifying the first MPLS router as asource of the packet, and a second IP address and a second MAC addressidentifying a destination; upon resolving a destination MAC address,forwarding the packet directly to a second MPLS router by a data pathdetermined by the MAC address of the second router; upon failing toresolve the destination MAC address, forwarding the packet to aplurality of Ethernet switches in the network using an out-of-bandcontrol associated with the Ethernet network, wherein each of theplurality of Ethernet switches transmits the packet to connectivelycoupled MPLS routers; receiving, from a second MPLS router connectivelycoupled to a second Ethernet switch, a second packet containing a secondIP address and a previously unresolved MAC address identifying thesecond MPLS router as a source of the second packet; and forwarding, bythe second Ethernet switch, the second packet to the plurality ofEthernet switches using the out-of-band control, wherein each of theplurality of Ethernet switches transmits the packet to connectivelycoupled MPLS routers.

The method can further include automatically attempting to configuretransport capacity to the requested address the interface is attemptingto connect to with a default amount of capacity. The method can furtherinclude monitoring a data plane in the network for other messages todetermine appropriate desired capacity. The method can further includeanalyzing the at least one data packet to determine a request foradditional capacity. The method can further include reporting theanalyzed request for additional capacity. The method can further includeautomatically reconfiguring the network based on the reported requestfor additional capacity. The Ethernet switch can be distributed. Aseparate packet switch operation can be implemented on at least one ofthe at least one data packet as a quality control measure.

A system for implementing a Media Access Control (MAC) Ethernet switchin a network includes switch configured to receive, from a firstMultiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) router, a packet with a first IPaddress and a first MAC address identifying the first MPLS router as asource of the packet, and a second IP address and a second MAC addressidentifying a destination, forward the packet directly to a second MPLSrouter by a data path determined by a destination MAC address of thesecond router upon resolving the MAC address, forward the packet to aplurality of Ethernet switches in the network using an out-of-bandcontrol associated with the Ethernet network upon failing to resolve thedestination MAC address, wherein each of the plurality of Ethernetswitches transmit the packet to connectively coupled MPLS routers, andreceive, from a second MPLS router connectively coupled to a secondEthernet switch, a second packet containing a second IP address and apreviously unresolved MAC address identifying the second MPLS router asa source of the second packet, wherein the second Ethernet switch isconfigured to forward the second packet to the plurality of Ethernetswitches using the out-of-band control, wherein each of the plurality ofEthernet switches transmit the packet to connectively coupled MPLSrouters.

The switch can be configured to automatically attempt to configuretransport capacity to the requested address the interface is attemptingto connect to with a default amount of capacity. The switch can beconfigured to monitor a data plane in the network for other messages todetermine appropriate desired capacity. The switch can be configured toanalyze the at least one data packet to determine a request foradditional capacity. The switch can be configured to report the analyzedrequest for additional capacity. The switch can be configured toautomatically reconfigure the network based on the reported request foradditional capacity. The switch can be distributed. A separate packetswitch operation can be implemented on at least one of the at least onedata packet as a quality control measure.

In a further exemplary embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readablemedium with stored instructions for implementing a Media Access Control(MAC) Ethernet switch in a network wherein execution of the programlogic is executed by one or more processors of a computer system. Themedium includes logic configured to receive, from a first MultiprotocolLabel Switching (MPLS) router, a packet with a first IP address and afirst MAC address identifying the first MPLS router as a source of thepacket, and a second IP address and a second MAC address identifying adestination; logic configured to resolve the at least one destinationMAC address; and logic configured to forward the packet directly to asecond MPLS router by a data path determined by the MAC address of thesecond router upon resolving a destination MAC address; logic configuredto forward the packet to a plurality of Ethernet switches in the networkusing an out-of-band control associated with the Ethernet network uponfailing to resolve the destination MAC address, wherein each of theplurality of Ethernet switches transmit the packet to connectivelycoupled MPLS routers; logic configured to receive, from a second MPLSrouter connectively coupled to a second Ethernet switch, a second packetcontaining a second IP address and a previously unresolved MAC addressidentifying the second MPLS router as a source of the second packet; andlogic configured to forward, by the second Ethernet switch, the secondpacket to the plurality of Ethernet switches using the out-of-bandcontrol, wherein each of the plurality of Ethernet switches transmitsthe packet to connectively coupled MPLS routers.

Generally, unless stated otherwise explicitly, the phrase “logicconfigured to” as used throughout this disclosure is intended to invokean aspect that is at least partially implemented in hardware, and is notintended to map to software-only implementations that are independent ofhardware. Also, it will be appreciated that the configured logic or“logic configured to” in the various blocks are not limited to specificlogic gates or elements, but generally refer to the ability to performthe functionality described herein (either via hardware or a combinationof hardware and software). Thus, the configured logics or “logicconfigured to” as illustrated in the various blocks are not necessarilyimplemented as logic gates or logic elements despite sharing the word“logic.” Other interactions or cooperation between the logic in thevarious blocks will become clear to one of ordinary skill in the artfrom a review of the aspects described below in more detail.

Those of skill in the art will appreciate that information and signalsmay be represented using any of a variety of different technologies andtechniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information,signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may be referenced throughout theabove description may be represented by voltages, currents,electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields orparticles, or any combination thereof.

Further, those of skill in the art will appreciate that the variousillustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm stepsdescribed in connection with the aspects disclosed herein may beimplemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinationsof both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware andsoftware, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits,and steps have been described above generally in terms of theirfunctionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware orsoftware depends upon the particular application and design constraintsimposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement thedescribed functionality in varying ways for each particular application,but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing adeparture from the scope of the present disclosure.

The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits describedin connection with the aspects disclosed herein may be implemented orperformed with a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor(DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), afield-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device,discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or anycombination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein.A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in thealternative, the processor may be any conventional processor,controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also beimplemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combinationof a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one ormore microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other suchconfiguration.

The methods, sequences and/or algorithms described in connection withthe aspects disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in asoftware module executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two.A software module may reside in RAM, flash memory, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM,registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form ofstorage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupledto the processor such that the processor can read information from, andwrite information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, thestorage medium may be integral to the processor. The processor and thestorage medium may reside in an ASIC. The ASIC may reside in a userterminal (e.g., UE). In the alternative, the processor and the storagemedium may reside as discrete components in a user terminal.

In one or more exemplary aspects, the functions described may beimplemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof.If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on ortransmitted over as one or more instructions or code on acomputer-readable medium. Computer-readable media includes both computerstorage media and communication media including any medium thatfacilitates the transfer of a computer program from one place toanother. A storage media may be any available media that can be accessedby a computer. By way of example, and not limitation, suchcomputer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or otheroptical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storagedevices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desiredprogram code in the form of instructions or data structures and that canbe accessed by a computer. Also, any connection is properly termed acomputer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmittedfrom a website, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable,fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), orwireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then thecoaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wirelesstechnologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in thedefinition of medium. Disk and disc, as used herein, includes compactdisc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD),floppy disk and blu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce datamagnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers.Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope ofcomputer-readable media.

While the foregoing disclosure shows illustrative aspects of thedisclosure, it should be noted that various changes and modificationscould be made herein without departing from the scope of the disclosureas defined by the appended claims. The functions, steps and/or actionsof the method claims in accordance with the aspects of the disclosuredescribed herein need not be performed in any particular order.Furthermore, although elements of the disclosure may be described orclaimed in the singular, the plural is contemplated unless limitation tothe singular is explicitly stated.

What is claimed is:
 1. An Ethernet-over-Dense Wave Division Multiplexing(DWDM) packet switch system, comprising: a transport switching elementconfigured to switch Optical Transport Network (OTN) trafficcommunicatively coupled to one or more routers in a client layer andcommunicatively coupled via a photonic switching layer with a pluralityof transport switching elements forming a transport layer of OTN;wherein the transport switching element is a network element comprisinga processor and memory storing instructions configured to operate acontrol plane with the plurality of transport switching elements in thetransport layer, and flood addresses by the control plane to control thetransport switching element in the transport layer, wherein theaddresses are associated with the one or more routers and are flooded todisseminate learned end-point addresses of the one or more routers sothat service-based addressing comprising one or more of Ethernet MediaAccess Control (MAC) addresses and Internet Protocol (IP) addresses isresolved by the transport layer of OTN through the control plane,wherein the flooded addresses are from the client layer and flooded bythe control plane in the transport layer.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the addresses from the client layer are flooded in the controlplane which is a lower layer control plane relative to the client layerto allow the transport switching element and the plurality of transportswitching elements to use of the addresses.
 3. The system of claim 1,wherein the addresses comprise one or more of a Media Access Control(MAC) address and an Internet Protocol (IP) address.
 4. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the transport layer is configured to implement a MediaAccess Control (MAC) Ethernet switch in the transport layer between theone or more routers.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the client layeraddresses traffic demands and service provisioning, the transport layerprovides protection to the client layer, and the photonic switchinglayer provides path computation, and link budget computation, wavelengthassignment.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the transport switchingelement is configured to receive a data packet from the one or morerouters, automatically learn an address from the data packet, and storethe learned address in a database and flood the learned address via thecontrol plane.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the transport switchingelement is configured to receive a data packet from the one or morerouters, automatically learn an address from the data packet, access adatabase containing the flooded addresses to determine a correspondingtransport switching element associated with the learned address, andtransmit the data packet to the corresponding transport switchingelement via the transport layer.
 8. An Ethernet-over-Dense Wave DivisionMultiplexing (DWDM) network, comprising: a plurality of routerscommunicatively coupled to a plurality of transport switching elementseach comprising a network element configured to switch Optical TransportNetwork (OTN) traffic which are communicatively coupled to one anothervia wavelengths in a photonic switching layer; wherein the plurality oftransport switching elements each comprise a processor and memorystoring instructions configured to operate a control plane, wherein thecontrol plane operates between the plurality of transport switchingelements for control thereof, and wherein the control plane isconfigured to implement an Ethernet Media Access Control (MAC) switchover a transport layer of OTN associated with the plurality of transportswitching elements by flooding addresses associated with the one or morerouters in the transport layer to disseminate learned end-pointaddresses of the one or more routers so that service-based addressingcomprising one or more of Ethernet MAC addresses and Internet Protocol(IP) addresses is resolved by the transport layer of OTN, wherein theflooded addresses are from a client layer and flooded by the controlplane in the transport layer.
 9. The network of claim 8, wherein theaddresses from the client layer associated with the plurality of routersare flooded in the control plane which is a lower layer control planerelative to the client layer to allow the plurality of transportswitching elements use of the addresses.
 10. The network of claim 8,wherein the addresses comprise one or more of a Media Access Control(MAC) address and an Internet Protocol (IP) address.
 11. The network ofclaim 8, wherein the transport layer is configured to implement a MediaAccess Control (MAC) Ethernet switch in the transport layer between theplurality of routers.
 12. The network of claim 8, wherein the clientlayer addresses traffic demands and service provisioning, the transportlayer provides protection to the client layer, and the photonicswitching layer provides path computation, and link budget computation,wavelength assignment.
 13. The network of claim 8, wherein each of theplurality of transport switching elements are configured to receive adata packet from the plurality of routers, automatically learn anaddress from the data packet, and store the learned address in adatabase and flood the learned address via the control plane.
 14. Thenetwork of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of transport switchingelements are configured to receive a data packet from the plurality ofrouters, automatically learn an address from the data packet, access adatabase containing the flooded addresses to determine a correspondingtransport switching element associated with the learned address, andtransmit the data packet to the corresponding transport switchingelement via the transport layer.
 15. An Ethernet-over-Dense WaveDivision Multiplexing (DWDM) method, comprising: communicating data froma plurality of routers to one another via a plurality of transportswitching elements each comprising a network element configured toswitch Optical Transport Network (OTN) traffic which are communicativelycoupled to one another via wavelengths in a photonic switching layer;operating a control plane between the plurality of transport switchingelements for control thereof; and implementing an Ethernet switchthrough the control plane by the plurality of transport switchingelements over a transport layer of OTN by flooding addresses, by theplurality of transport switching elements through the control planewhich implements an Ethernet Media Access Control (MAC) switch,associated with the one or more routers in the transport layer todisseminate learned end-point addresses of the one or more routers sothat service-based addressing comprising one or more of Ethernet MACaddresses and Internet Protocol (IP) addresses is resolved by thetransport layer of OTN, wherein the flooded addresses are from a clientlayer and flooded by the control plane in the transport layer.
 16. Themethod of claim 15, wherein the addresses from the client layerassociated with the plurality of routers are flooded in the controlplane which is a lower layer control plane relative to the client layerto allow the transport switching elements use of the addresses.
 17. Themethod of claim 15, wherein the addresses comprise one or more of aMedia Access Control (MAC) address and an Internet Protocol (IP)address.
 18. The method of claim 15, wherein the transport layer isconfigured to implement a Media Access Control (MAC) Ethernet switch inthe transport layer between the plurality of routers.
 19. The method ofclaim 15, wherein the client layer addresses traffic demands and serviceprovisioning, the transport layer provides protection to the clientlayer, and the photonic switching layer provides path computation, andlink budget computation, wavelength assignment.
 20. The method of claim15, further comprising: receiving a data packet from the plurality ofrouters; automatically learning an address from the data packet; andperforming one or more of storing the learned address in a database,flooding the learn address via the control plane, accessing a databasecontaining the flooded addresses to determine a corresponding transportswitching element associated with the learned address; and transmittingthe data packet to the corresponding transport switching element via thetransport layer.